Digging tooth mounting bracket

Abstract

A digging chain is provided with a plurality of trencher or digging teeth mounting brackets at spaced intervals around its periphery. Each mounting bracket is secured to the digging chain by spaced apart adaptor links and pin connections. The mounting bracket includes a base having opposed end surfaces, opposed side surfaces, and a top surface for mounting a trencher or digging tooth cutter bit. A one-piece mounting member is attached to the underside of the base for permitting the base to be securely attached to the upper ends of the adaptor links. The mounting member is generally in the shape of a "W" in longitudinal cross-section and includes opposed leg portions that are secured to the end surfaces of the base. The upper terminal end of the mounting member's mid-portion is secured to the underside of the base, and the lower end of the mounting member forms a pair of mounting slots or grooves that fit between the opposed, spaced apart adaptor links for attachment thereto. The mounting bracket substantially reduces the number of mounting parts required and is inexpensive to manufacture.

We claim: 
     
       1. A support assembly for digging teeth comprising: a digging tooth mounting bracket which is secured to opposed, spaced apart adaptor links, said adaptor links having upper ends and aligned mounting openings therethrough for attaching said mounting bracket, said mounting bracket including a base having opposed vertical end surfaces, opposed vertical side surfaces, and a top surface for mounting a digging tooth cutter bit;   a one-piece continuous plate-like mounting member attached to said base, said mounting member being generally in the shape of a "W" in longitudinal cross-section and including opposed divergent leg portions that are secured against the opposed end surfaces of said base, each divergent leg portion being of a width less than the length of the end surface to which it is secured, said mounting member having a mid-portion with an upper radiused terminal end that engages the underside of said base, said divergent leg portions joined to said mid-portion through radiused bottom portions for forming a plurality of transversely disposed large, open area mounting slots or grooves that fit between said opposed, spaced apart adaptor links for attachment thereto, said large, open area mounting slots or grooves being formed between said divergent leg portions and said mid-portion; and   fastening means extendable through the mounting openings in one of said adaptor links into the large, open area mounting slots or grooves between said divergent leg portions and said mid-portion, said fastening means engaging said bottom radiused portions and extending through the mounting openings in the other adaptor links to thereby secure said mounting bracket base to said upper ends of said adaptor links.